INK CONTROL APPARATUS, PRINTER, AND PRINTING METHOD

Abstract

An image is created from PPF data and the image is displayed. An operator inputs a total amount of color adjustment as a pre-set value from a color-adjustment-quantity operation screen. An arithmetic unit adjusts a quantity of each ink component to be supplied to the areas based on the pre-set value. The arithmetic unit, for example, adds or subtracts certain values from the standard quantities. An ink supply device correspond to each ink component prints the image on a paper based on the quantity of each ink component adjusted by the arithmetic unit (12).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an operation unit of an ink control apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an external view of the ink control apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the ink control apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic for explaining ink supply quantity control performed by the ink control apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a graph of a variation in an ink clearance with respect to an image area ratio;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are graphs for explaining a collective adjustment method for a density variation;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of ink supply quantity control by the ink control apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a schematic of an offset printer according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a schematic of an operation unit of an ink control apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic of the ink control apparatus in the printer according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an ink supply quantity control performed by the ink control apparatus shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a schematic of an operation unit of an ink control apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an ink supply quantity control performed by the ink control apparatus sshown in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an ink supply quantity control performed by a conventional ink control apparatus.

Claims

1. An ink control apparatus comprising: an image display unit that displays a print pattern image based on image information;an area selecting unit that selects a target ink area where color adjustment is to be performed from the image displayed by the image display unit;a setting unit that sets a color adjustment quantity for the target ink area;a quantity display unit that displays, for each of ink areas, the color adjustment quantity set by the setting unit; anda changing unit that changes, based on the color adjustment quantity displayed by the quantity display unit, an ink supply quantity in the ink area selected by the color-adjustment-ink-area selecting unit.

2. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets a color adjustment quantity corresponding to each component of the ink.

3. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets color adjustment quantities corresponding to each component of the ink and intermediate colors of the ink components.

4. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets a color adjustment quantity for each component of the ink based on a hue, brightness, and chroma.

5. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit adjusts a ratio of a color adjustment quantity displayed on the quantity display unit.

6. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit adjusts, for each of the ink areas, a ratio of a color adjustment quantity displayed on the quantity display unit.

7. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area selecting unit selects two or more target ink areas, andthe setting unit sets color adjustment quantities for the two or more target ink areas based on a pre-set value.

8. The ink control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the changing unit sets, for each of the ink areas, a color adjustment quantity for the ink area selected by the area selecting unit based on one or more selected from a pre-set value, an image area ratio, and a number of revolutions of an ink fountain roller.

9. The ink control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image selecting unit that selects a representative image in the target ink area.

10. The ink control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image selecting unit includes a storing unit that stores therein the representative image.

11. The ink control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a pre-adjustment display unit that displays a raw image that is the representative image before the changing unit performs the color adjustment; anda post-adjustment display unit that displays a processed image that is the representative image after the changing unit performs the color adjustment.

12. The ink control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a color-difference display unit that displays, in the representative image, a difference between a raw print color that is a print color before the changing unit performs the color adjustment and a processed print color that is a print color after the changing unit performs the color adjustment using a deviation value in a CIELAB color space.

13. A printer comprising: an ink supply unit that is capable of adjusting an ink supply quantity for each of ink areas sectioned in a print width direction;an image display unit that displays a print pattern image based on image information;an area selecting unit that selects an ink area where color adjustment is performed from the image displayed by the image display unit;a setting unit that sets a color adjustment quantity for the ink area selected by the area selecting unit;a quantity display unit that displays, for each of the ink areas, the color adjustment quantity set by the setting unit; andan changing unit that changes, based on the color adjustment quantity displayed by the quantity display unit, an ink supply quantity in the ink area selected by the area selecting unit.

14. A printing method comprising the steps of, in a printer that is capable of adjusting an ink supply quantity for each of ink areas sectioned in a print width direction: first displaying including displaying a print pattern image based on image information;selecting a target ink area where color adjustment is to be performed from the image displayed at the first displaying;setting a color adjustment quantity for the target ink area;second displaying including displaying, for each of ink areas, the color adjustment quantity set at the setting; andchanging, based on the color adjustment quantity displayed at the second display, an ink supply quantity in the target ink area.